182 



CONGRESS. (IRRIGATION.) 



is there the slightest probability of an overpro- 

 duction of small grains as a result of the suc- 

 cessful operation of the project. 



" First, the cost is limited to the proceeds from 

 the sale and disposal of public lands in the 13 

 States and 3 Territories named in the bill. This 

 would involve a sum aggregating, perhaps, 

 $2,500,000 per annum, according to official re- 

 ports on the present income from this source. 

 It is provided in the bill that the cost of con- 

 struction of each irrigation project shall be paid 

 by the persons directly benefited. Thus the 

 money expended would constantly be recouped or 

 repaid to the reclamation fund, making the sys- 

 tem automatic and self-sustaining. 



" Second, as to the fear of overproduction of 

 farm-products, there is no ground whatever for 

 alarm. While it is true that there are in the 

 great West about 600,000,000 acres of lands 

 which might be irrigated, the essential fact is 

 that there is not sufficient water available, and 

 never will be, to reclaim more than 10 per cent, 

 of the whole area, or about 60,000,000 acres. It 

 should not be taken for granted, however, that 

 the whole of this area would be irrigated from 

 Government works. The irrigation experts of 

 the Geological Survey, basing their calculations 

 upon the most thorough investigations in the 

 field, give it as their opinion that 20,000,000 

 acres would be the limit of land irrigated from 

 waters conserved by Government enterprises, but 

 that this would serve as a nucleus about which 

 private effort would reclaim an equal amount, or 

 40,000,000 acres in all. On this point I will quote 

 from the very interesting and instructive letter 

 from the director of the Geological Survey to be 

 found in the report accompanying this bill : 



" ' The surveys and examinations made in dif- 

 ferent parts of the arid region show that the cost 

 of water conservation ranges from $5 per acre 

 in the most favorable cases up to $20 or $25 

 per acre where the conditions are less favorable. 

 Moreover, whereas $25 per acre may be prohibi- 

 tory in Montana for raising alfalfa, it is reason- 

 able in Arizona, where high-class products are 

 produced. An arbitrary statement, therefore, of 

 the cost per acre reclaimed bears little relation 

 to the feasibility of the enterprise. 



" ' The cost of reclamation also depends upon 

 the completeness with which the work is done. 

 For example, the irrigation of 10,000 acres may 

 cost only $10 per acre, but the irrigation of 

 15,000 additional acres may cost $15 per acre. 

 Viewed as an investment only, it might be found 

 more profitable in such a case to irrigate the 

 smaller acreage; but as a matter of larger bene- 

 fits to the people by the creation of more homes, 

 it might be wiser to advocate the more complete 

 system, under the general principle that in devel- 

 oping the resources of the country the larger 

 benefits consistent with economy should be 

 sought, and not merely the cheapest or the im- 

 mediately profitable. 



'"The reclamation of 20,000,000 acres of arid 

 land by means of irrigation would, on an average, 

 cost probably from $10 to $15 per acre, and the 

 ultimate average value would be three times as 

 much. 



" ' It has been variously estimated that there 

 is available water for from 60,000,000 to 100,000,- 

 000 acres. It is not necessary for the Government 

 to conserve all of this water. If the Government 

 should build the great dams and divert the large 

 rivers, individual enterprise would be able to put 

 the water upon the greater part of the land. It 

 is estimated that if the Government should con- 

 serve water for 20,000,000 acres individuals would 



be able to obtain water for the remaining re- 

 claimable land. 



" ' The limit of 20,000,000 acres has been set for 

 Government work as being a liberal allowance 

 when consideration is had of the projects which 

 are of sufficient size or importance to justify con- 

 struction by the Government. It is assumed that 

 it will not be the intention of Congress to irri- 

 gate the land, but merely to build some of the 

 larger works. The possibilities of construction 

 of these are limited by the character of the 

 country. Taking the vast extent of the arid 

 region as a whole, and the number of projects 

 called to public attention, there are comparative- 

 ly few of these which would justify more than 

 survey and careful examination. The facts devel- 

 oped by impartial work conclusively prove that 

 for some of these projects there is no reasonable 

 demand for Government work. 



" ' If the Government provides the larger stor- 

 age works and regulates the rivers, it will then 

 be possible for private enterprise to again take 

 up the work of bringing water to the land. 



" ' From the experience already acquired in the 

 development of the arid regions, it may be as- 

 sumed that where water is conserved for the 

 direct reclamation of 1 acre there are ultimately 

 brought in use 2 or 3 acres through the possibil- 

 ity of taking advantage of floods, through the 

 use of seepage, through pumping-plants, and by 

 various other devices. In short, if the Govern- 

 ment, by means of large storage-works, or by 

 taking water from great rivers, should provide 

 water directly for 20,000,000 acres which other- 

 wise would not be irrigated, this act would ren- 

 der possible the gradual utilization of the greater 

 part of the remainder through construction of 

 smaller individual systems. 



" ' In the present state of engineering science, 

 and at existing values of land, it will not be pos- 

 sible to now utilize all the waste waters within 

 practical limits of expense. The influence of new 

 inventions, cheaper appliances, and the increased 

 demand for land make it impossible to place any 

 definite limits upon the development.' 



" At an estimated average cost of $15 per acre 

 for construction of works, the reclamation and 

 settlement of this 20,000,000 acres would bring 

 to the fund the total sum of $300,000,000, not 

 from the Treasury of the United States, but from 

 the lands themselves. Now, it is unreasonable to 

 suppose that the whole of this 20,000,000 acres 

 would be reclaimed in one or ten, or even in 

 twenty years. The director of the survey esti- 

 mates that with the income provided for in the 

 pending measure a period of thirty-eight years 

 would be required in which to reclaim 20,000,000 

 acres; so that reclamation would proceed at an 

 average rate of about 526,000 acres a year for 

 thirty-eight years. Assuming that 20,000,000 

 acres would be reclaimed by private enterprise, 

 what shall be done toward subduing the remain- 

 ing 560,000,000 acres must be left to future gener- 

 ations. The problem is not likely to be solved in 

 advance of the necessities which will arise out 

 of the mutations of time and the vicissitudes of 

 struggling humanity. 



" No one will therefore seriously contend that, 

 under the proposed irrigation policy laid down in 

 the President's message and provided for in this 

 bill,- the settlement of the public domain would 

 proceed by leaps and bounds, to the detriment of 

 the farmers of the East or of any other section." 



The measure was taken up in the House of 

 Representatives June 12 and a special rule was 

 adopted providing for an immediate discussion 

 and a vote next day on the passage of the bill. 



